


penny lane

by ddenbroughs



Category: Andi Mack - Fandom
Genre: Ambi - Freeform, F/F, F/M, M/M, Muffy - Freeform, Rated T for language, Set in 1989, Tyrus - Freeform, Wonah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 10:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19851247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddenbroughs/pseuds/ddenbroughs
Summary: unlikely friends come together as madness unfolds in their formally proper suburban town.





	1. CHAPTER ONE

**TJ**

* * *

Our story takes place in a small town called Shadyside. Once a town of perfectionism, peace, and elegance, the events of 1989 would taint that forever. There were four main roads of Shadyside; Richmond Heights Avenue, Lansdon Street, East Iron Hill Road, and Penny Lane. Richmond Heights Avenue ran by the ever-so-elegant gated community Richmond Heights and the Shadyside Mall. Lansdon Street was the desolate street that went past the side of Richmond Heights. East Iron Hill Road went to the side of East Iron Hill Academy, the only school in Shadyside. It also went past the side of Southern View, “the poor community,” where I lived with my sister and my mom. Penny Lane was where everything happened. It ran past Iron Hill and Southern View and went through the Iron Hill Woods.

…

**CYRUS**

* * *

Iron Hill Academy was a cold place - in more ways than one. Every student knew something about someone else, every rumor spread like wildfire. The halls were desolate. You could always hear every footstep someone took, every time the art teacher opened up a display case to put something new inside of it. It didn’t matter who you were, if you walked by a group of students, they’d start to whisper about you instantly - whether it was about your hair, or who you hung out with, or if you were a teacher’s pet. It was just the way that Iron Hill worked. And every student knew that. However, it didn’t stop newcomer TJ Kippen from picking fights with anyone who breathed.

TJ Kippen and his sister Amber had moved into Shadyside in the middle of the semester. It was now the end of the entire school year, yet TJ had never cleaned up his act. Amber was almost the same, minus the fighting. She was as cold as Iron Hill, never talking to anyone but her brother, and shooting glares at everybody who disagreed with her.

Andi Mack and Buffy Driscoll were the self-proclaimed “popular girls” of Iron Hill. They did everything together and anyone who merely said “excuse me” or “bless you” to them was given a crude nickname and was the new target for cruel pranks.

Jonah Beck and Marty Wilson were the jocks. Both of them like a golden retriever - always happy, but never straying from “their pack” as they called their teammates. Jonah was oblivious to everything while Marty understood things but could never come up with an actual intelligent response. Personally, I can never figure out why their parents even sent them to get an education if they never used the knowledge they gained.

This, of course, leaves me and my best friend Walker. We were considered the “preps,” but it’s beyond me what the explanation for that is. Walker and I kept to ourselves most of the time but didn’t mind walking in the hallways looking like we think we're better than everyone else. But what can I say? We _are_ better than everyone else. It’s just kind of a widely known thing in Iron Hill.

**AMBER**

* * *

[Shadyside Mall! Fun for the whole fami-]

I clicked off the TV. The eleventh ad I’ve seen for the mall since nine am this morning. I’d already memorized all the words, and it was getting boring. It was the fifth day of summer break. I’d painted my nails different colors about seven times in these past five days, and I was slowly running out of colors to use.

I didn’t have very many friends here, the only “friend” I had was my brother, TJ, but he wasn’t always my favorite person. I could make some new friends, but everybody at that stupid school I go to is cocky and annoying. Especially that priss Andi Mack and her goody-goody friend Buffy Driscoll. I cannot stand either of them and they’ve never said a word to me. And I hope they never do.

…

“Amber! Can you get some things for me from the drugstore?”

I reluctantly agreed, having nothing better to do. Once my mom gave me her list of what to buy and some money, I got on my bike and started to ride to the store.

My bike was nearly broken, but it rode well enough that I didn’t have to fix it just yet. I had gotten it when I was twelve, it was big for me then, so it was perfect for me now.

I arrived at the drugstore and leaned my bike against the wall. The kickstand had fallen off while TJ was messing around on my bike with his stupid friends.

Walking into the store, I nodded hello to the cashier and looked at the list.

“So then I told him that he’s not better than everyone else like he thinks he is.”

“Good! It’s about time someone put his snotty ass in its place.”

The sound of my two worst nightmares talking to each other in the medical supplies aisle gave me goosebumps. It was enough to make me want to leave the store altogether, but I knew I couldn’t do that to my mom.

For the next few minutes I avoided the medical aisle like the plague. But the last thing on the list was a wrist brace for TJ, who had stupidly fallen off his skateboard and injured his wrist.

Turning the corner into the aisle I grimaced, seeing Mack and Driscoll standing right where _I_ needed to be standing in order to get the item that would allow me to leave the store. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot until the two noticed I existed.

“Oh look Buffy! It’s Amber, here to glare at us some more?”

“Oh look, it’s the demon queen! Mind getting out of the way?” I gave her a fake smile and motion to the shelf that they’re standing in front of.

Andi scoffs but her and Buffy move anyway.

I grab what I need and quickly go to the checkout counter, not wanting to see those two ever again.

**JONAH**

* * *

“Ghost player on first!”

“You know, it’s really hard playing baseball with two people.”

Marty rolls his eyes and runs back to home plate anyway, ready to bat again.

“Just pitch the ball, Jolamajama!”

I do what Marty says because he’s my best friend. Also because I know I can get him out with a curveball.

I throw the ball three times, all missing the bat due to Marty’s awful batting skills and I know he’s going to start whining about it.

“That’s so not fair, Jonah! I told you to pitch easy ones!”

“Uh, no you didn’t, Marty. You said ‘just pitch the ball, Jolamajama!’”

“Alright, whatever. Let’s just do something else, I’m bored of baseball.”

…

A few hours later found me and Marty in his house watching old sports movies. Although Marty was asleep.

There’s a knock on the door and I try to wake Marty up. He barely notices, and there’s another knock. I sigh and get up to answer.

When I open the door, there’s a kid standing there. He’s our age, and I think I’ve seen him around school a few times.

“Uh, you’re not Marty.” He smiles and looks down, kicking a little pebble on the porch.

“Oh, no, he was sleeping and I didn’t wanna wake him up.”

“Well okay then, I’ll get going. I’m Walker by the way.”

“Jonah. Nice to meet you, maybe I’ll see you around sometime?”

Walker smiles again and nods before waving and walking away.


	2. CHAPTER TWO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then… the trees call out to you, beckoning. Telling you to come in, just for a minute. Just follow the path until you find what it was that made your skin crawl, made goosebumps blanket your neck, your arms, your legs. Then you turn around and try to run, but it’s impossible to leave. You’re stuck in the woods and you’re not going to make it out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning for a very brief description of a dead body

**TJ**

* * *

“Oh. TJ, is it? I was looking for your sister.”

“Andi Mack? Here in Southern View? The poor community? You’ve outdone yourself this time, rich girl!”

Andi crosses her arms with an unamused expression on her face. 

“Is Amber here or not?” 

I roll my eyes and shake my head.

“No, she’s not here. Can I take a message or something?”

Andi scoffs, also shaking her head. She walks down the porch steps, gets on her bike and rides away.

…

A few hours later I ride down Penny Lane on my own bike. The street itself is quiet, lonely. No one is ever on Penny Lane during the summer because there’s no reason for them to be. Unless, of course, they live in Southern View like me. But Amber and I are the only kids who live in Southern View because normally, rich parents bring their rich children to live in the rich community. 

I come out of my thoughts to find myself right at the edge of the Iron Hill woods. 

The woods have always been scary. When we first moved into Shadyside, I was  _ terrified  _ of the woods. Amber made fun of me for it, but I knew she was scared too. There was just something off about them… and I know that all woods are kind of scary, but the Iron Hill woods are different. 

When you go by them, you get this uneasy feeling in your stomach. Like someone’s watching you. But not someone, something. You feel like the woods are watching you. The bushes are waiting for you to fall off your bike, or for you to see something in the weeds and step into the tall grass just for you to be reported as missing by the next week. The dead grass that creates a swirling path is waiting for you to follow it, leading you into the darkness that no one ever comes out of. And then… the trees call out to you, beckoning. Telling you to come in, just for a minute. Just follow the path until you find what it was that made your skin crawl, made goosebumps blanket your neck, your arms, your legs. Then you turn around and try to run, but it’s impossible to leave. You’re stuck in the woods and you’re not going to make it out alive. 

“Um, excuse me.”

“Oh, sorry, what?” I come out of my thoughts again, seeing a boy in front of me. I know who he is. Cyrus Goodman. Him and Walker Brodsky walk around the school halls like they’re better than everyone else. 

“You’re kind of blocking the sidewalk.” He crosses his arms and cocks an eyebrow. 

“Sorry.” 

I don’t move. The only places behind me are the school and Southern View. I highly doubt that preppy-boy Cyrus Goodman is going to Southern View, and the school is closed. 

“Can you move?” He looks a bit angry now, and he taps his foot on the sidewalk.

“Where are you going?” I raise an eyebrow and straighten my lips into a thin line.

“Why do you want to know? Jeez. I’m just going to walk on the road at this point.” He rolls his eyes and steps off the sidewalk.

“You going to Southern View? Or the school?”

Cyrus stops and turns around, his hands on his hips. 

“You know, it’s none of your business, but I’m going into the woods. Some kid dared me to do it. He thinks I won’t cause I’m ‘too much of a rich boy’ or something, even though he literally lives in the same community as me.”

“You’re going into the woods? Good luck with that.” I laugh, starting to walk away.

“Why? What’s wrong with the woods?” He follows me. I turn around.

“For someone who thinks I need to mind my own business, maybe you should stop following random people you meet on the street. You don’t even know my name, do you?” 

“First of all, yes I do know your name. You’re TJ Kippen, the kid who starts so many fights he should’ve been suspended in his first week of school. Second of all, I just want to know if going into the woods is a risk.”

I laugh again, “a risk? Going into these woods is so much more than a little risk. Nobody who goes into these woods ever comes out of them. You go in here and you’ll be filed as missing by the end of this week.”

“Come with me then. I’ll prove to you that the woods are safe.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, no thanks. If you want to die, then go right ahead. I’m not going to die just because you want to prove to me that the woods are safe.”

I start to walk again, expecting to hear footsteps behind me. But I don’t. I turn back around, and I see Cyrus stepping into the woods. 

I sigh, and shake my head at myself. I can’t believe I’m about to do this. I throw my bike down on the sidewalk and run to the edge of the woods. Cyrus is walking on the path of dead grass.

“Cyrus, I told you not to go in there! I’m serious dude, you’re going to die.” 

Cyrus keeps walking. 

“Seriously! Stop walking!” 

He goes out of sight as the path turns right into darkness. 

I nervously run a hand through my hair, thinking, before stepping onto the path. 

**CYRUS**

* * *

“I thought you weren’t going to follow me, TJ.”

“Cyrus, you’re being an idiot right now. We  _ have _ to turn back.” He grabs my arm and tries to turn me around, but I pull it away from him and keep walking. He follows.

“Just a little bit farther. Who would’ve thought, big tough guy TJ Kippen is afraid of the woods! Who should I tell first, maybe Sophie Daniels? I know that she spreads rumors  _ fast _ . Or maybe I could tell Andi Mack, she could get you at the bottom of the food chain just by telling one person.”

“Cyrus-“

“No, I’m not done yet, I could tell Buffy Driscoll. She’d laugh  _ so  _ hard and would-“

“ _ Cyrus _ !” 

“What, TJ?” 

I look at him. His face has gone pale and his eyes are wide. I follow where he’s pointing and I see  _ it _ . Goosebumps appear on my arms. 

“TJ. What the fuck is  _ that _ ? Tell me that’s not what I think it is. TJ, please, please tell me that I’m just imagining things.”

Behind a fallen tree a few feet in front of us is a head. Not an animal head, a human head. I don’t get a good look before TJ is gripping my arm and running.

We run for what seems like hours. We go past trees, and trees, and more trees. It feels like I’m lost. I’m running out of breath, but I know if we slow down, we’re dead. It gets harder to breathe and I notice TJ slow down, just a little bit. He turns and looks at me for just a second. He’s scared. He’s afraid. He doesn’t think we’re going to make it out alive. I know that I have to be hopeful, but I start to think we won’t make it, too. 

And then we’re out. 

We collapse on the sidewalk next to TJ’s fallen bike. Tears fill my eyes and I hug TJ. He hugs me back and I feel his tears soak my shirt.

“I’m sorry, TJ, I’m so, so, sorry.” I sob into his shoulder. 

He squeezes me harder.


	3. CHAPTER THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is really short, sorry. but next chapter will most likely be very interesting so this one’s kind of just a filler to transition into that!

**AMBER**

* * *

“Hello? Anyone home? TJ? Mom?” I walk into my house and get no answer. I shrug and go into my room, putting my purse on my bed and laying down. 

There’s a knock on my window, and I look outside to see Andi waving at me and motioning to me to unlock the window.

I do, and she climbs in.

“Uh, you could’ve used the door?” 

“I knocked, but there was no answer. I actually came by earlier and your brother said you weren’t home.”

“Yeah, I was at work earlier. In the mall.”

We stand there in silence for about a minute.

“So what’s up?” I ask, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

“Um, I just really wanted to apologize. For everything. Ever since you moved here I’ve been pretty rude, I’m sorry. I think I was just… intimidated.” There seems to be a slight blush on her cheeks and she fiddles with her hands. 

“It’s okay. I get it, a lot of people think I’m intimidating.” I smile back at her. 

**ANDI**

* * *

“Are you sure about this Amber?”

“We’ll be fine, I’ve done this a million times. I’ll protect you, Bambi.” 

I climb out the window first, dropping onto the soft grass. 

I notice TJ’s window is open, and I hear two voices from inside his room. 

_ “It’s okay, I forgive you, it’s okay. It’ll be okay, Cy. I promise, nothing is going to get us in here.”  _

I want to know what happened, but before I can listen more, Amber’s out the window. 

“Cmon.” 

I turn back to Amber and smile before she leads me away from the house.

…

Nearly forty-five minutes later, we’re on the river bank. Nobody’s here, of course, because it’s almost midnight. The moon reflects on the river, and I shiver a little bit. 

“Do you… want my jacket?” Amber offers.

“Oh! No it’s okay, I don’t want you to get cold.” 

“It’s alright, I’m hot anyway.” 

Amber takes off her jacket and gives it to me. 

“So what are we doing here?” 

Amber sits down on the beach, patting the ground next to her. After I sit, we stay there in silence. But this time it’s not awkward silence, it’s comfortable.

“Sometimes I feel like I want to get away from here. Go somewhere far away where no one knows who I am… that sounds… nice. My parents want me to be this perfect daughter, but I know I never can be. Everything I do is just… wrong.” I sigh, listening to the sounds of the river flowing.

“To me, it’s like I’m on the outside of everything. Like I’m there, but I’m not…  _ there _ . It… probably doesn’t make sense.”

I turn to her.

“Amber, it makes sense.”

I see a small smile on her face, and then I feel her pinkie connect to mine.

**TJ**

* * *

“Cy? Are you awake?”

“Yeah. I-I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see it.” 

I’m laying on the floor. It hurts, but I wanted to let Cyrus have the bed. He stayed over because neither of us wanted to walk anywhere alone. Every noise makes us both tense up and there’s a hammer under my pillow just in case. 

“Me too.”

It’s silent for a few minutes. I think Cyrus had fallen asleep, until he talks again.

“TJ? Can you… can you come up here? I… don’t want to be alone.” 

I think for a second and then nod, climbing into the bed next to Cyrus. 

“What are we going to do, TJ? We just left that…  _ thing  _ in the woods. We should have called the police or something. I’m scared, TJ. I don’t want to be here anymore, I don’t feel safe in Shadyside.”

“I’m scared too, Cyrus. Really, really scared.”


	4. CHAPTER FOUR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If not me, then who, Ambs? I’m sorry, but I have to do this. Nobody else will. I’ll be fine, I promise. I- I just have to do it, okay? I have to.”

**TJ**

* * *

It had been a few days since Cyrus and I went into the woods. We had started to make a plan, which would soon go into action. 

“Alright, this meeting is now in session.”

Cyrus and I stood at the front of my bedroom, while everyone else sat on my bed or on the floor.

‘Everyone else’ consisted of my sister, Andi Mack, Buffy Driscoll, Jonah Beck, Walker Brodsky, and Marty Wilson. Cyrus and I had recruited any kid that we could to help us.

“You all know about the woods right?”

“What, you mean the creepy-as-hell woods that nobody is ever brave enough to go into? Yeah, we know.” Marty says.

“TJ and I  _ did  _ go into the woods. I was being stupid and went in on a dare. TJ saved me, though.”

My cheeks were pink from embarrassment but the way Cyrus smiled at me made up for it. 

**MARTY**

* * *

“What do you kids need all these weapons for?” 

We were shopping for, well, weapons, and hadn’t assumed that this would be a problem. We all looked at each other, hoping one of us could come up with something, when Amber spoke up.

“We’re going to kill the woods.”

The clerk looked at her and then chuckled. He rang everything else up without another question.

**BUFFY**

* * *

As we made our way back to the Kippen’s house, I noticed that Andi and Amber seemed… close. I thought Andi hated Amber and vice versa. But from the short amount of time I had spent with the big group, they just couldn’t be separated. It was weird, and it gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

I walked alone on the sidewalk, behind the rest of the group. Cyrus and TJ were laughing at something the other had said, which was weird because we were mere hours away from doing what could be the most dangerous thing any of us had ever done. 

I kicked a small pebble. It hit the back of Walker’s shoe and bounced off, but he didn’t notice.  _ Too busy talking to Jonah. _

It was uncomfortable, the way all of us acted like what we were doing wasn’t going to be done, or that it was totally normal. And I missed my best friend. I had barely seen Andi in the past days, and here she is talking to  _ Amber Kippen _ . Someone we both agreed to never talk to. It’s not that I had a real problem with Amber, but… why didn’t Andi tell me? She always tells me everything. But lately we’ve just been… distant. 

I’m taken out of my thoughts when I notice someone now walking next to me. It’s that kid… Marty? I think his name is Marty.

“Buffy, right?”

I nod, although I keep my gaze pointed on the ground.

“I’m Marty.”

I nod again and he laughs.

“Not much of a talker?”

I shrug. “I’m just… thinking about things.”

“Oh.”

“You should try it sometime.” I look up and smile at him. He laughs again.

I like his laugh.

**AMBER**

* * *

We finally get back home, it’s dark outside now. We’re all sat on the floor around a box of pizza, but we already ate it all.

The mood in the room is… indescribable. Everyone’s a little bit sad, but also nervous and scared. 

TJ speaks up.

“I think I should go in.” His voice is soft, uncertain.

“You’re not going in, TJ.” I laugh like what he said was a joke, but nobody else laughs.

“I agree with Amber.” Cyrus says. His eyebrows are furrowed and I can tell he’s worried.

“I’m the one who started this. I should go. Do I want to? No. But someone has to.” TJ looks at Cyrus then, and they share a few looks as if they’re talking with their eyes.

“TJ, can I talk to you?” I get up and walk to the door, not waiting for an answer. He follows me out into the hallway and shuts the door behind him.

“You can’t do this, TJ. What if something happened to you? I can’t let you get hurt, you’re my only brother and sometimes my only friend here. TJ, sometimes you’re all I have. You can’t go into those woods. I know you probably just want to impress Cyrus or something, but you can’t. Those woods are seriously dangerous.”

“If not me, then who, Ambs? I’m sorry, but I have to do this. Nobody else will. I’ll be fine, I promise. I- I just have to do it, okay? I have to.” He goes back into his bedroom with the rest of the group, leaving me in the hallway alone. I wipe a tear from my eye and slump against the wall. 

**ANDI**

* * *

When TJ comes back in the room without Amber, I know something’s wrong. I go into the hallway without a word, but no one seems to care except TJ and Buffy. Her eyes linger on mine for a split second. TJ watches me leave, he has a look of sympathy on his face.

Amber’s sitting on the floor, crying. I too sit on the floor and pull her into a hug. 

“I don’t want him to go in there Andi. He’s going to- he’s going to get hurt.” 

I know what she was going to say before she said “get hurt.” 

“It’s okay Amber, he’ll be fine. He’s perfectly capable of taking care of himself. You’ve both done that for almost your whole life.” 

Her hand finds mine, and she locks our fingers together. I smile and rest my head on her’s.

“It’ll be okay, Amber.” 

I push away the doubt that “ _ it’ll be okay _ .”

**JONAH**

* * *

We stay up nearly all night creating a plan. TJ is set on going in the woods, although Cyrus and Amber keep trying to convince him otherwise.

I don’t know any of them well enough to be upset. I feel bad, but I can’t help to think that it’s better him than me. I make a mental note to be extra nice to TJ & Amber Kippen, as well as Cyrus Goodman when this is all over.  _ If  _ it’s all over. 

At around four in the morning, we all lay down to sleep. TJ and Cyrus share TJ’s bed because they’re the closest friends out of all of us. 

I can hear them whispering to each other even as I fall asleep.

**CYRUS**

* * *

“TJ, are you really going to do this? I don’t think you realize how dangerous it is. You could… you could get seriously hurt.” I whisper. As far as I know, everyone else in the room is dead asleep.

“I have to, Cy.” He whispers back at me.

His face is really close to mine and I can’t help but blush. I hope the darkness makes it less visible.

TJ Kippen is… cute. He’s really cute. And he’s super brave, and I’ve kind of had a little crush on him since we first went into the woods together. 

He then also notices the close proximity, and I swear he looks down at my lips. 

My brain malfunctions and I lean closer to him, and finally,  _ finally _ , his lips are on mine.

And then it’s over. I smile at him and he smiles back at me. 

The weariness hits, and I fall asleep.


	5. CHAPTER FIVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s just like how it began. Me and TJ, walking down the path together. Except that time, TJ was looking out for me. This time, I’m looking out for him.

**TJ**

* * *

By the time everyone wakes up, it’s nearly noon, which gives us not that much time to have a good day. 

We’d all decided on spending this day as if it were our last. Because it could be, but only for one person. And that person was me.

At this point, I was having serious doubts about doing this. After kissing Cyrus… it seems like my life is a lot less worth risking. 

But I knew that somebody had to do it, and nobody wanted to. 

Walker, Jonah, and Buffy make breakfast for all of us - pancakes. 

Throughout the day, when Cyrus and I are next to each other, our hands bump against the other’s constantly. 

Amber for sure knows that something is up. She looks at our hands then gives me a soft smile, although I can tell she’s still upset about what I’ll be doing later in the night. 

We go to the mall, to the diner, even to the lake. And it’s so much fun.

We all get to know each other a lot better, and I suddenly feel like I’m going to miss everyone in the group.

The sun begins to set.

**CYRUS**

* * *

The walk back to the Kippen’s house goes fast. Too fast. I want it to take forever, I never want to get to those woods. I don’t want to lose TJ. 

As we walk back, I hold his hand. Andi and Amber are walking behind us, and they could easily see, but I don’t care. 

We arrive at the Kippen’s house and gather our “weapons.” It seems silly, buying all this stuff to fight against some trees. But no one is amused.

**TJ**

* * *

We’re there. We’re at the edge of the woods. The trees loom over us, menacingly. I’m scared, really, really scared, but I don’t show it. I have to be brave for everyone else.

Cyrus has a tight hold on my hand. I don’t want to ever let go of it. I turn to the group behind me. Nobody wants to meet my eyes.

There’s a walkie talkie strapped onto the belt loop on my jeans and a few lighters in my pocket. We’d gone overboard on the weapons. But it felt cool, at the time. Not anymore.

Amber hugs me. For a long time. I feel like crying, and I know she already is.

“Please be careful, TJ. I love you so much.”

“I’ll be alright, Amber. I love you too.” 

She finally let’s go of me and Andi comforts her.

I hug Cyrus, then. He’s also crying, and I feel like a jerk. He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t either. 

I say my goodbyes to the rest of the group, earning a group hug.

And then it’s time.

I face the woods, and turn back to look at the group one last time. I step onto the old path, and a hand grabs my arm. I turn. It’s Cyrus.

“I want to come with you, Teej.” 

“No way, Cy. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“TJ, no. I’m coming with you.” 

“Cy-“

“TJ, _please_!”

“Okay. If you want to, then okay.” 

Cyrus hugs the group and then grabs my hand. We start walking down the path, together. 

**CYRUS**

* * *

It’s just like how it began. Me and TJ, walking down the path together. Except that time, TJ was looking out for me. This time, I’m looking out for him. 

It all looks normal so far, but we’re not anywhere close to where we have to be. It won’t be a short walk.

TJ suddenly turns off the walkie talkie. He looks at me for a second.

“Cyrus… why’d you come with me?” 

“I don’t know.” I answer truthfully. I _don’t_ know.

“Cy, I really… I really like you. And not just as a friend.” 

I smile at him. “I like you too, TJ.”

Out of nowhere, he kisses me. I kiss him back.

And then it’s over again. He turns the walkie talkie back on, grabs my hand, and we keep walking.

**AMBER**

* * *

“Wouldn’t he be out by now?” I pace back and forth on the sidewalk.

“Amber… he just got in. Those woods stretch for miles, he won’t be out for awhile.” Buffy says. She sits on the curb, her back facing the woods.

Walker nods in agreement. He bites his nails, and I realize I’m not the only one at the risk of losing someone important to me.

Cyrus and Walker have been best friends since kindergarten. I heard they walked around on the playground in uniforms being fashion critics of the other kids.

Jonah puts an arm around Walker wordlessly.

**TJ**

* * *

“We’re almost there, Cy. Almost.”

“TJ, if the entire forest is on fire… how are we going to get out?” Cyrus’ voice is soft and quiet.

“We run the way we came, but go to the left. The woods are long, but they’re not wide. If we run fast enough… we could make it out.”

But I know that that’s nearly impossible. 

**CYRUS**

* * *

“Is this the place, TJ?”

We’re in a small clearing. 

“Yeah,” he nods slowly. “Yeah. This is pretty much the best place for us to do this.” 

He then talks into the walkie talkie.

“We’re in the spot. We’re going to light it up.”

“Be careful guys.” 

**TJ**

* * *

We are careful. As careful as possible. But sometimes that isn’t enough.

We light a few trees. And then we run. It’s like the first time, except this time, I don’t have that much hope for us. 

The fire is almost chasing us. I’m sure that the others can see it from where they are. 

The fire is chasing us, and it’s catching up. It’s fast. Smoke fills our lungs, and we cough, a lot. 

I’m scared. Really fucking scared. The fire is right on our heels. And then, it’s ahead of us.

The fire wins.

We have nowhere to run.

We’re surrounded.

And we both knew that it was over.

We’re going to die. 

My hand grips Cyrus’ hard. He doesn’t care. 

We’re both crying, and it is like the first time. We collapse on the ground, hugging each other, waiting for it to be over already.

And then it is.


	6. CHAPTER SIX — THE EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As I got into my mom’s car, I watched the town slowly disappear from my view. The lake, the school, Richmond Heights, the mall, and those damn woods. 
> 
> We passed the “You are now leaving Shadyside, Utah. We hope you’ve enjoyed your stay!” sign. For some reason, it hurt. It felt like we were leaving TJ behind, like he could still be out there, but now he had no way of getting back to us.

**ONE YEAR LATER**

**AMBER**

* * *

“Cmon Ambs!”

“Coming!” I call to my mom, who’s waiting in the driveway.

Our house is empty. Everything was packed into boxes, and now it looked like we’d never even been here. 

I walk into TJ’s room. Of course, it’s empty. But some part of me was hoping I’d walk in here and he’d be standing there, holding a box of his things and saying  _ “come on Amber, we have to leave this behind.”  _

I look out the window, and there they are. The Iron Hill woods. The fire had been put out after the trees had burnt to crisps. Luckily, no damage was done to the surrounding area. 

TJ and Cyrus were never found. The police officers say their bodies would have been so badly burned that they wouldn’t be identifiable anyway. The rest of us waited for hours after the fire had been put out, waiting for TJ and Cyrus to come out. As if they were playing a little joke on us. They’d come out saying  _ “gotcha guys! We’re okay!”  _ And we’d be mad, really mad, but it wouldn’t matter because they would be alive.

But they didn’t. 

I think that TJ knew this was going to happen the entire time. He knew that he was going to die when he went into those woods.

But he went in anyway.

He risked his life for the town, and for the group. And I miss him. A lot.

“ _ Amber! _ ” 

The group was never the same afterwards. We wanted to stay friends, we did, but we ended up drifting anyway. It was for the better.

Back at school, everyone was different. Sometimes Andi would give me a nod, or Buffy would smile at me for a second. Jonah would say “ _ Hey Amber, how are you holding up? _ ” and I’d look down and notice he and Walker were holding hands. Marty sat next to me at lunch when no one else would, although we never had a conversation. 

Andi and Buffy were no longer “mean girls.” In fact, they had both found new groups of friends, who were all really sweet and kind. They stopped talking about people behind their backs, and stopped judging people by what they looked like or how much money they had.

Walker sometimes walked the halls alone, but he didn’t point out how bad someone’s outfit was or how he was better than them. He was quiet now. He didn’t talk in class, and the only person he ever really talked to at lunch was Jonah.

Jonah and Marty stopped being friends. They were still friendly, but not enough to call themselves friends. Marty stopped playing sports and started ditching school. Eventually he stopped coming. Nobody knew what happened to him, but nobody was friendly enough with him to ask him or reassure everyone that he was okay. Jonah still played sports, in fact, he played so many sports that it took up all his time. He used sports as an outlet to get away from his problems. 

As I got into my mom’s car, I watched the town slowly disappear from my view. The lake, the school, Richmond Heights, the mall, and those damn woods. 

We passed the “ _ You are now leaving Shadyside, Utah. We hope you’ve enjoyed your stay! _ ” sign. For some reason, it hurt. It felt like we were leaving TJ behind, like he could still be out there, but now he had no way of getting back to us. 

“It’s time for a fresh, new start, Amber. This’ll be good for us.” My mom said.

I didn’t say anything in reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it’s over!! I hope you enjoyed the story & thank u for all the kudos and comments!!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr is @buh-bichie & twitter is @biiichie !!! hope u enjoyed :))


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